Ireno Fargas Receives the 9th Dan: A Recognition of a Lifetime That Changed the History of Taekwondo

The distinction was presented by Jesús Castellanos, president of the RFET, during the gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of Balearic Taekwondo, organized by Antonio Navas Pozo, president of the Balearic Federation.

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But this recognition goes beyond a rank. It represents the culmination of a life shaped by Taekwondo, elite performance, and a vision of sport as a path, a method, and a legacy.

Ireno Fargas did not just win titles. He opened doors. He did not just lead teams. He built systems. He did not just teach Taekwondo. He helped transform the way it is trained, understood, and projected to the world.

A Champion Who Defied the Impossible

As an athlete, Fargas became world and European champion at a time when defeating Korean competitors seemed almost impossible.

His victory was not merely a sporting achievement. It became a signal for an entire generation of Spanish and European athletes: Korea could be challenged, historical dominance could be questioned, and European high-performance Taekwondo could forge its own path.

At that point, Fargas’ figure began to transcend medals. His career became an emotional and technical reference for those who understood that talent, when combined with planning and method, can change history.

The Coach Who Built Champions and Left a Legacy

His impact as a coach ultimately placed him among the most influential figures in international Taekwondo.

For 20 years, he worked at the elite level as head coach for Spain, France, and Mexico. Between 1987 and 2000, he led the legendary High Performance Center in Barcelona, a structure that defined an era and was considered one of the greatest champion-producing systems outside Korea.

Names that became part of Spanish Taekwondo history were of that system, including Juan Antonio Ramos, Elena Benítez, Elisabeth Delgado, José Jesús Márquez, Iriane Ruiz, Isabel Cruzado, María Jesús Santaolalia, and Javier Argudo.

The numbers help illustrate the magnitude of his work: Fargas is recognized as the non-Korean coach with the most senior world championship finals contested, with 22 finals and 11 titles. He is also the only coach in history to win world finals with three different countries.

He also belongs to a very exclusive group: those who became world champions both as athletes and as coaches.

Mexico, La Loma, and a Global Platform

Since 2002, Ireno Fargas developed a decisive chapter of his career in Mexico as High Performance Director of Taekwondo at La Loma High Performance Centers in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro.

There, he consolidated an international training platform that welcomed thousands of athletes, coaches, and national teams from around the world.

For 17 years, he served as Executive Director of the World Taekwondo Open and the World Training Camp, two highly influential private international events attended by more than 28,000 athletes.

In addition, for 24 years he directed training camps at CAR La Loma, focused on preparation for Olympic Games, World Championships, and continental tournaments. Through that structure passed 72 Olympic and national teams, along with nearly 8,000 athletes and coaches.

Mexico was not just a professional stage. It became a platform from which Fargas continued spreading knowledge, discipline, and a culture of high performance.

An Olympic Vision

Fargas’ career is also closely linked to the Olympic movement. Between 1989 and 1992, he served as Director of Organization for the Taekwondo discipline at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.

That role placed him at a decisive moment in the institutional development of Taekwondo, as the discipline continued consolidating its place within the Olympic movement.

His perspective was not limited to coaching. He was also a manager capable of understanding sport through organization, competition, education, communication, and international projection.

Knowledge That Transcended Generations

One of Ireno Fargas’ greatest contributions was transforming his experience into accessible knowledge for others.

He authored influential publications such as Taekwondo Alto Rendimiento and Taekwondo — Comité Olímpico Español. He also developed one of the most extensive audiovisual productions in the sport, with materials dedicated to training, physical preparation, technique, tactics, and sparring.

His audiovisual Taekwondo encyclopedia, composed of 19 DVDs, and his World Training Program, consisting of 17 CDs, marked an era in the education of coaches and athletes.

This was complemented by his work as director of Taekwondo Team magazine between 1988 and 1992, reinforcing his profile as a communicator, educator, and technical authority.

At a time when knowledge did not circulate with today’s speed, Fargas helped organize, professionalize, and share tools that influenced the modern evolution of training.

An Influence Across Five Continents

The global dimension of his legacy is also reflected in his high-performance seminars conducted in 72 countries across five continents.

That journey speaks not only of prestige, but also of trust. Federations, coaches, athletes, and sports systems turned to his experience to understand how performance is built through planning, discipline, and vision.

There are coaches who win titles. And there are coaches who build a school that continues influencing the sport even when they are no longer on the mat every day. Ireno Fargas belongs to the latter category.

Taekwondo as a Purpose

This recognition also highlights a deeply human dimension of his career: the Ireno Fargas Foundation, dedicated to supporting children with cerebral palsy through charity events involving world and Olympic champions.

That humanitarian side confirms that, for Fargas, Taekwondo was never only about competition. It was also a tool for connection, solidarity, and transformation.

Humility in the Face of Greatness

After receiving the 9th Dan, Fargas acknowledged that such a distinction carries great responsibility.

The master stated that the recognition “is a little intimidating” because of the commitment required to be worthy of such a high honor, but emphasized that he will continue working with humility, honesty, and professionalism to support those who follow and admire him.

That sentence summarizes his legacy better than any statistic.

Because the 9th Dan is not awarded only for what someone was. It is also awarded for what they represent.

In Ireno Fargas, the Royal Spanish Taekwondo Federation recognized not only a champion, a coach, or a master. It recognized a figure who helped change the competitive history of Taekwondo, who shaped generations, who built structures, and who left a legacy difficult to match.

The 9th Dan does not close his story.

It elevates it to the place where the great names of world Taekwondo belong.

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